The Spirit Within
by ContraBardus
Summary: The first fanfic I ever posted. Not really a comedy, but fun anyway. Part 1-3 up now, a clean up work in progress still.
1. Default Chapter

Before I begin, I'd like to give credit to Susan Doenime and  
Mike Loader. This was my first published fanfic, written before I'd  
really started reading fanfics. It also nearly caused me to stop  
writing. Due to someone I haven't spoken too in years, [Yes folks,  
this is why.] I had a problem with this fic. It seems said person had  
read 'Ill met by Starlight' a fic I hadn't heard of at the time, and  
decided to 'suggest' a few ideas for my story. I hadn't read the story  
at the time, but later found out that it had a few scenes that were  
very similar to said fic. I apologized for it, and it's been a nasty  
blotch on my writing record ever since. I feel I should put it up  
anyway, as I get lots of requests for it.  
  
Another reason I decided to post it again is that it isn't  
actually plagiarism. You cannot copyright an idea; the scene is not  
verbatim, and besides the fact that a similar event happens, and a  
similar result. It was written without having even seen 'Ill met by  
starlight' beforehand, with a second hand account of the scene from  
someone who didn't inform me that it was in fact second hand. I read  
the fic after I had several people tell me about the 'problem'. I  
admit that I wouldn't have included the scene if I had known about it,  
nor did I intend to step on anyone's toes by reposting it. 'Ill met by  
starlight' is an excellent dark fic, and if you enjoy that sort of  
thing I suggest you read it. I am through apologizing for it though;  
so please do not bother trying to tell me that said scene is  
plagiarized from another work.  
  
Also, Reiraku, the name, was not stolen from another fic  
either. I got the name from a Japanese/English dictionary. [I keep one  
nearby when I write, in case I needed a name or something.] I have  
heard that another author used the name before me before and I haven't  
read the fic, I can't even remember the name of it, or who wrote it.  
  
On another note, this fic has been cleaned up as well.  
Spelling, formatting, some of the dialogue has been cleaned up, the  
whole works. It's sort of a rewrite, but not quite.  
  
I'm not doing this in place of any of my current fics. I'm  
going to do this with all my old fics that I don't have posted here  
over the course of the next few months or so. This is what I plan to  
do when I don't really have time to write a fic, but want to do  
something productive on my PC. Like tonight, I have to go to work  
tomorrow, so I don't really have time to write something. This takes  
less time, when I have more time I'll do more writing. So don't think  
I'm putting off other stories for this. You'd have just gotten nothing  
instead if I hadn't done this. ^_^  
  
Now I've been long winded enough, on with the fic. This is  
just the first three parts, others will follow.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Spirit Within  
  
By Carrotglace.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
Part 1: the beginning  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Carrot slammed the book on to the table angrily. "That's it?!!! 38  
volumes and that's it??!!!! ARRRGGGHHH!!!!" He had just finished  
reading Ranma 1\2 in its entirety.  
  
Suddenly a voice entered his brain " You think You could do  
better?" it asked in an amused tone.  
  
"Hell yes!" he yelled not paying attention to where it came from.  
  
"Would you like to try?" it asked.  
  
"HUH?" said Carrot realizing he was alone.  
  
"Would you like to try?" it repeated.  
  
Carrot looked around his room. "What the hell?!! Would I have to  
come back here?"  
  
"No. I can Make it Permanent, but be warned once I make it  
permanent; it's just that, permanent." It said this with a dangerous  
sounding foreboding in its tone.  
  
"It won't be any good if I can't remember anything," said Carrot  
as he tried to listen for where the voice was coming from.  
  
"Then it is agreed. You will remember everything; so will Saotome."  
  
  
Carrot felt a surge of pain in his head and his body fell to  
the ground.  
  
A few hours later, his parents found him. The official report  
was DOA, with the cause of death being a brain hemorrhage.  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma Saotome jerked in pain as his father talked to the guide.  
"How long till we get there?"  
  
"Not long," said the guide. All the while behind them, two souls  
became one.  
  
"Your Souls are now merged as one neither are you Ranma nor  
Carrot."  
  
"Why like this?" asked the new Ranma.  
  
"It keeps you in tune with this world and insures you have feelings  
for Genma and Nodoka, as well as Ranma's fears, hopes, and memories.  
As well as your own, yours will be more dominant. Also it prevents me  
from having to Destroy Ranma's soul. You are now Ranma and Carrot  
there is no separation you are one being. Forever."  
  
"Come on Ranma," said Genma impatiently.  
  
"Sure pop."  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
++++  
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Part2: China  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma looked at her father distastefully. "Good going Pop," she  
grumbled as she chased the Panda away from the springs.  
  
The panda ran past a young boy about Ranma's age and caused him to  
teeter on the edge of the cliff. Warning lights flashed in Ranma's  
mind  
  
"No," she said as she dove and caught the boy by his shirt as he  
fell. "Hang on Ryoga!" yelled the redhead as she felt her arms being  
clutched by the boy.  
  
"Let go! It's just water!" said Ryoga as he glared up at the girl  
who was nearly strangling him with his own shirt.  
  
"Not on your life. You go I go," said Ranma as she strained to hold  
him up in the awkward bending position she found herself in. "Drop  
your bag, It's to heavy."  
  
"No way!" said Ryoga angrily.  
  
"Look jerk we'll go get it I promise," grunted Ranma.  
  
Ryoga begrudgingly complied and the girl pulled him up.  
  
"I didn't need your help... uuuh." Ryoga looked at the stunning  
girl who had saved him and his brain fried.  
  
"No you don't Hibiki!" said Ranma as she smacked him up side his  
head.  
  
"You know my name?" muttered Ryoga in shock.  
  
"Don't you recognize me Ryoga?" asked Ranma playfully.  
  
"UUUHH...sure?" said the lost boy as he blushed.  
  
"Its me. Ranma Saotome, the guy you were obviously dumb enough to  
track here," said the girl coolly.  
  
"WHAT?!" yelled Ryoga as he stared at her.  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma held the lizard in her hands carefully as she walked near to  
one of the pools.  
  
"Magic springs??!! That's crazy!!" yelled Ryoga.  
  
"Humph" said Ranma. "This is the spring you almost fell in..." The  
girl tossed the lizard into the little pond, a moment later, a small  
piglet was struggling to stay afloat in the pool. "Ya, see, I got  
lucky. At least I'm human, Pop wasn't so lucky."  
  
Ryoga couldn't believe his eyes. "Y-you mean, you really are Ranma  
Saotome?" he said dumbly.  
  
"Yeah, and you owe me, Porky. What do ya say, pals?" Ranma extended  
her hand and Ryoga took it  
  
"I'll forget about our feud at least," said Ryoga coolly.  
  
++++++++++++++++++  
  
A few minutes later Ranma said goodbye to Ryoga and went to find  
her father.  
  
When she found him they had a long 'talk' and Ranma left him alone.  
"I'm going to train on my own for the rest of the trip, Pop. I'll meet  
you in Two months."  
  
With that Ranma went away on her own, her father was too tired to  
argue with her.  
  
+++++++++++++++++  
  
"Time to put this knowledge to use," thought Ranma sarcastically  
as he awoke hanging from the harness after Trying to train for the  
Bakusai tenketsu.  
  
"What was I thinking?" but he continued anyway. A week later he  
tended to the burns on his hands carefully wrapping them, once again.  
"What *was* I thinking?" he again asked himself. The next week he  
attempted the Mouko Takabishia and the next the Hi Ryuu Shouten Ha,  
each week he was satisfied with his progress. He was quite surprised  
to find he could accomplish the Mouko Takabishia at such an early  
stage, it being a high level KI attack and all. Always thinking the  
same thing as he tended to his training wounds. "What was I thinking?"  
  
+++++++++++++++++++  
  
"Great! I got a few weeks to spare," thought Ranma as he walked  
through the wilds of China.  
  
He walked into a familiar looking village and thought to himself.  
"I'm hungry that rabbit I caught didn't last." Ranma made her way  
into  
Joketzuko. "Oh, man I don't need this." She thought as she realized  
where she was.  
  
Of course it began to rain.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
+  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++  
Part 3 Ranma vs. the Amazons  
++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma looked around at her surroundings. Something quickly caught  
her attention. Her father, still a panda, was sitting looking battered  
in a cage.  
  
"Pop!" she yelled as she ran to the cage. "What happened?"  
  
The panda growled pathetically. A large mace swung at Ranma's head  
she quickly ducked to avoid it. The girl was saying something in  
Chinese. Ranma looked at her dumbly "Shampoo," echoed her mind as she  
recognized the girl in front of her.  
  
Shampoo continued to rant in Chinese. "You speak Japanese?" asked  
the redhead.  
  
Shampoo only looked at her.  
  
"Child get away from that cage that animal is dangerous!" said an  
aged voice.  
  
"It is not! It's my Pop! The stupid jerk!"  
  
"Pardon me child?' asked Cologne as she hopped into view.  
  
"I said this panda is my father," replied Ranma coolly.  
  
Cologne's eyes narrowed "I don't see the resemblance."  
  
"The stupid jerk went to Jusenkyo," answered the foreign girl with  
a heavy sigh.  
  
"Oh, I see," said the old woman with a strange smile forming on her  
lips. "I will release him if you defeat our champion."  
  
Ranma snorted in response "So I can end up with the kiss of death  
or a wife I don't want? No, thanks."  
  
Cologne was obviously surprised, "You know much about our village  
young lady."  
  
"Look honored elder, I just want to get my Pop and go," said Ranma  
politely as she viciously bit back sarcasm as best she could.  
  
Cologne smiled "Very well, Shampoo give the man who stole your  
prize the kiss of death," said Cologne as she pointed to the Panda  
with her staff.  
  
Shampoo nodded and walked toward the cage.  
  
"NO!" said Ranma as she jumped between them. "I'll do what ever  
you want...as long as it doesn't get me engaged or killed."  
  
"There is nothing," replied the old woman calmly.  
  
"Very well I will fight Shampoo," said Ranma bitterly. "At least I  
tried," she thought to herself.  
  
The old woman eyed Ranma carefully for a moment and frowned.  
  
Ranma looked coolly at Shampoo who was stretching on the other side  
of the dirt clearing they were to fight in. "Great," she grumbled.  
Shampoo growled at her and her village cheered. "Only one way out of  
this," thought the redhead.  
  
Her father was being held at the other side of the ring by two  
guards armed with spears. "Growff" he said pitifully.  
  
"Such confidence in me," thought Ranma sarcastically as she rolled  
her eyes.  
  
Shampoo quickly took the offensive as the battle started.  
  
Ranma merely dodged and weaved her way around her blows.  
  
"The girl is learning quickly she cannot defeat Amazon streng..."  
Seeing Ranma on the defensive Cologne was boasting to her village,  
when a realization hit her. The girl wasn't running at all! "No, Get  
away from her Shampoo!" She called out to her great granddaughter,  
but it was too late. The foreign girl raised her arm in a spiral  
motion  
and uttered the words that sent fear into Colognes heart.  
  
"HI RYUU SHOUTEN HA!!!!"  
  
Shampoo screamed as the blast tossed her into the air like a doll.  
  
"NO! HOW?!!" yelled Cologne in outrage. The village backed away  
and gasped in awe. An explosion could be heard from the blast as it  
peaked, and Cologne watched helplessly.  
  
Suddenly, Ranma shot from the tornado, grabbed her father, and ran  
into the woods. The villagers were to shocked to care.  
  
Ranma smacked her now human father on his head with the pot she'd  
used to fix her fathers 'condition'.  
  
"Ranma you make your father proud!" said Genma with tearful eyes.  
  
"Shut up old man. What were you thinking?!!" scolded Ranma. The  
girl jumped as a gnarled staff struck the ground where she'd been  
standing. Genma wailed and passed out.  
  
"Where?! Where did you learn that move?!!" asked Cologne angrily.  
  
Ranma pulled her father over her shoulder. "You're such a good  
son," said Genma.  
  
Cologne froze.  
  
"From the person who invented it. BAKUSAI TENKETSU!!" replied the  
girl as she created a smokescreen of dust and stone from underneath  
herself.  
  
When the smoke cleared Cologne was standing alone.  
  
"She died over 3000 years ago... Son-in-law," said Cologne with a  
smile. She turned and made her way back to the village.  
  
In the trees above Ranma muttered to herself angrily. "Damn, she  
knows." 


	2. Spirit Within [4-8]

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
++++++  
Part: 4 Japan  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
++++  
  
  
Ranma ran down the street away from his father, the panda. "I  
already told you no! I'll decide who I'll marry!"  
  
Genma swung at Ranma and the two traded blows for a while. Ranma  
eventually got the upper hand and knocked Genma too the ground. He  
turned to walk away. His father whapped him with a street-sign. Ranma  
turned and punched him in the face "Cut it out you annoying gnat."  
  
"Speaking so to your own father..." said Genma's sign.  
  
"Stuff it old man I'm going home," said Ranma.  
  
"NO! You'll die!" said the next sign.  
  
"Better to die as a man than live as a coward," was his son's  
reply.  
  
"But the promise..." said the sign, Genma was becoming delirious.  
  
"You sayin I ain't manly??!!! I'll kick your butt old man!"  
replied the boy angrily.  
  
"Don't yell at me that way boy..." said the sign Genma used to  
whap his son.  
  
"We're going home," said Ranma as he pulled his father down the  
street behind him.  
  
"I don't wanna," said the desperate Genma's sign.  
  
++++++++++++++++++  
  
Nodoka's day was interrupted by sounds from the hall. "Get in  
there ya big coward!" said the voice of a young girl. Followed by what  
sounded like an animal cry. Nodoka jumped six feet when the girl  
kicked the panda into the living room.  
  
"Hello, c-can I he-help you?" she asked nervously.  
  
"Yes ma'am. Get us some hot water and we'll explain every thing,"  
said the young girl. "Isn't that right Pops?" she snapped while  
glaring at the panda that cowered back behind her fearfully.  
  
Oddly enough, the animal was waving a sign with the words, "I'm  
just a cute panda!" written on it.  
  
Nodoka looked in shock at the pair, but complied. "Trust me Mo-  
Ma'am, You won't be disappointed," said the girl.  
  
"I hope not," muttered the woman under her breath. Too her  
surprise the girl poured the water on her head.  
  
"Hello mom," said Ranma.  
  
Nodoka looked at her son and husband. She stood quietly for a  
moment, then...  
  
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!"  
  
"B-but the promise." sobbed Nodoka.  
  
"My own mother questioning my manhood?" said her son as he hung  
his head. "I am manly," he said quietly but forcefully.  
  
"B-but Jusenkyo, the c-curse..." said his mother with a  
desperation creeping into her tone.  
  
"My son is more of a man than any one I know in either form," said  
Genma with a somewhat proud frown. "Well with the exception of me..."  
  
Ranma belted him on the head. "Look, Ma, I didn't ask for this,  
it's a curse. But even when I'm a girl I'm still a man. I don't enjoy  
it, but I will use it to my advantage when necessary." The boy had a  
somewhat dark smile on his face as he said this.  
  
"What are you doing boy we almost have her convinced!" whispered  
Genma as he grabbed his son.  
  
"I won't lie to my mother," said Ranma.  
  
Nodoka's eyes softened at his words a little, "You are a man my  
son," she said sternly.  
  
"You however..." she said as she turned to glare at Genma. The man  
began to sweat at this. "Trying to run from you promise to me? Eh,  
Genma?"  
  
"Only the boy had to become manly," said Genma as he did his best  
to look wizened.  
  
She looked at her husband coolly. "It's a wonder he became so  
manly around you," she said sternly.  
  
Genma broke down. "But, but honey bunch!"  
  
"No buts. You're on the couch," she scolded.  
  
"Ah, home at last," thought Ranma happily as he smiled at the  
scene. Genma looked like he was about to cry.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
++++  
  
  
Part5: school daze  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
++++  
  
  
Ranma walked blissfully toward his school. "This is going  
surprisingly well," he commented to himself. He jumped down from the  
fence he was on and walked into the gates of Furinkan. A large group  
of boys was waiting near the front of the school. Ranma ignored this  
and walked into the crowd towards the school.  
  
"There she is!" yelled one of the boys.  
  
"Shit," said Ranma as he was herded towards a very angry Akane  
Tendo. Just as he was about to be pushed into the angry martial  
artist he realized something. "I don't have to take this!" He turned  
on the foolish boys.  
  
Seconds later he and Akane were back to back against the boys,  
another ten seconds and it was over.  
  
"I didn't need your help," she said coldly. Her glare was not very  
harsh, but she looked suspicious of him.  
  
"So, that doesn't make it right for me to just sit back and watch  
does it?" he responded and walked away.  
  
Akane stared at him hard, and then turned to face Kuno. The older  
boy was currently issuing his daily challenge.  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Akane was only slightly surprised too find that the boy was next to  
her in class.  
  
"This happens every day?" he asked quietly.  
  
"What's it to you?" she asked as she glared at him.  
  
"I heard about it that's all. Is it true?" he asked with a grin.  
  
"Yeah. It is," she said as she relaxed a little.  
  
"Sorry to hear that," he said simply and turned toward the  
teacher.  
  
+++++++++++++++++++  
  
At the lunch period Ranma ate his lunch and wandered around the  
schoolyard a bit. "I understand you had words with the fair Akane  
Tendo this morning. Your name is Ranma Saotome, is it not?" said a  
tall, older boy that moved from behind a tree and blocked his path.  
  
"So, what's it to you Kuno?" asked Ranma.  
  
"That is Upper classman Kuno to you cur. So, you have heard of me, no  
doubt I knew it must be so."  
  
"Yeah. `That asshole Kuno's probly gonna give you trouble for  
talkin to Akane.'" repeated the pigtailed boy with a wry grin forming  
on his face.  
  
"What??!! Who... who would dare!!!???" raged Kuno.  
  
Daisuke looked on in the crowd and began to sweat. Hiroshi smiled  
and looked at him. "You know something about that?" he asked  
playfully.  
  
"Shut up!" said Daisuke pathetically as he watched the exchange  
with increasing interest.  
  
"Like I'd tell..." answered Ranma smugly.  
  
"What is it you spoke to the fair Akane about? Tell me!" demanded  
Kuno.  
  
Ranma snorted "None of your business," he stated simply.  
  
"How dare you!" snarled Kuno as he pulled out his bokken.  
  
"Put your stick away Kuno. You could beat me to death and I still  
wouldn't tell you now," said the unfazed pigtailed boy.  
  
Kuno growled and took up an offensive stance.  
  
"What makes you think I'd waste my time fighting you anyway? Bye."  
With that Ranma walked calmly away from the enraged kendoist.  
"Coward did I give you leave?!! Come and face me knave!"  
  
Kuno was pissed.  
  
"Left you in the cold eh, Kuno baby?" said Nabiki Tendo smugly as  
she walked up to Kuno from behind the scene.  
  
"Heh. No doubt he feared my prowess," said Kuno smugly.  
  
"Actually he's probably the only guy in school who doesn't," said  
the girl with a snort.  
  
Kuno growled "I shall not forget this insult Saotome," he  
muttered.  
  
"What was that Kuno baby?" asked Nabiki.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
Nabiki smiled "This Ranma could be...Interesting." she thought  
with her smirk growing slightly wider.  
  
Ranma looked quietly over horizon at the sunset over the rooftops  
of Nerima, his first day of school not entirely unproductive. "Humph,  
I'm doing well not a single real fight all day." he mused as he turned  
to walk home.  
  
"Uh, hi," said a familiar voice behind him.  
  
"Hello Akane," he said as he turned to face her.  
  
"How do you know my name?" she asked warily.  
  
"I pay attention. How's it going?" replied Ranma laughing a  
little. "Wow she's cuter than I thought, he thought too himself  
cheerfully.  
  
"Well, I wanted to thank you for your help today. I know I seemed  
to be a little snappy... and please don't do it again," she said  
quietly.  
  
"Eh?" said the boy. He was obviously a little surprised.  
  
"Look I'm sure you're a nice guy and all but you could really get  
hurt."  
  
"I'd love too, but that's pretty much impossible now."  
  
"W-what?!!" said Akane angrily.  
  
"See that bush over there?" said Ranma pointing at a small shrub.  
"Inside that bush, is Sasuke, Kuno's loyal ninja retainer. He'll tell  
Kuno about our supposed 'lovers rendezvous' and well you can guess  
what's next." said Ranma smiling.  
  
"That is redic..." started Akane.  
  
"Hey, Sasuke tell Kuno I said hi!" called Ranma. Akane heard a  
small panicked cry and saw a small brown blur dash from the bush.  
  
"Tomorrow morning every jerk in Furinkan will be gunning for me  
too," said Ranma smugly. "Sorry Akane, but as long as I'm in trouble  
anyway I might as well walk you home."  
  
"W-Wh-What?!!" said Akane as her jaw dropped slightly.  
  
"C'mon what's the worst that can happen? Besides I don't really  
know any one else yet," he said as he turned on all his charm.  
  
"You don't know me either!" retorted an unaffected Akane.  
  
"Your name is Akane Tendo, you do martial arts, I'm guessing That  
girl following us is your sister, Nabiki I think her name was. How was  
that for starters?" said Ranma. The boy was obviously impressed with  
his knowledge. "But don't give away too much..." he thought inwardly.  
  
"God he's such a pri... a perv... obnoxi... cute!" thought Akane.  
"OK I'm impressed. What's your name?" she asked. "Cute? Where did  
*that* come from?" she wondered to herself.  
  
"Ranma Saotome," he answered. Ranma thought back to the post card  
sitting on his desk in his room.  
  
"Tendo, bringing Ranma from China, Saotome."  
  
"Almost didn't get away with that one, she'd already be mad at me  
if that thing got out." he thought.  
  
"Well, it was nice meeting you," said Akane politely.  
  
"See ya tomorrow," said Ranma. "I'm in the animation? Sasuke is  
here maybe its sort of both?" he mused as he walked away.  
  
Akane stopped and stared at her sister as the girl walked out of a  
nearby alleyway.  
  
"All right talk," said Nabiki calmly.  
  
"About what? Didn't you learn enough just by following us?"  
replied Akane with a rough snort.  
  
"Every thing you know about him," said Nabiki coolly.  
  
"Why?" asked the younger girl.  
  
"Haven't you heard?!! He's the hottest topic around school! He  
laughed in  
Tatewaki Kuno's face, and every girl in the School wants him!" she  
said flatly.  
  
"Present company excepted?" asked Akane smugly.  
  
"Of course, and as usual you have him," snorted Nabiki.  
  
"I do not! He's the first guy I've met that hasn't looked at my  
chest during an entire conversation besides my father ever since I got  
it!" fumed Akane.  
  
"That usually means he's seen one before," said her sister  
calmly. Akane just looked at her and walked away.  
  
Ranma smiled to himself from his hiding place nearby. He was  
standing just around the corner, leaning against the wall and  
listening in. "That's true," he said too himself as he walked away  
from the corner.  
  
The next day Ranma got up early as he had been for months and  
practiced some things his father would probably be proud of, but he  
didn't want his mother to find out about. (Not that you uncultured  
hentai!) He heard his father approaching and quickly stopped. When  
the ghoul came he'd be ready, even if he had to hurt someone. He would  
not end up marrying Shampoo. At least not until he was sure if Ukyo  
was cuter.  
  
"Practicing already?! That's my boy!" said Genma proudly.  
  
"Heh. Yeah." said his son as he faced his father for their morning  
work out.  
  
++++++++++++++++++  
  
"Listen boy there is some one I'd like you to meet, today," said  
Genma as they finished up their morning routine.  
  
"If you think I'm dumb enough to get sucked into another  
engagement you're out of your mind," said the boy coolly as he swung  
at Genma.  
  
"How did you kno... I mean how could you think that about your own  
father?" lamented Genma.  
  
"Too late Pop. You already blew it," said Ranma as he knocked his  
father to the ground with a quick snap kick.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++  
  
On his way to school Ranma ran into Akane. "Hey Akane how are ya?"  
  
  
Akane growled "Men!" she spat angrily.  
  
"That good huh?" said the boy cheerfully.  
  
As they approached the gates Ranma and Akane braced themselves as  
the crowd approached.  
  
It never reached them; it was stopped by another seemingly  
immovable force. Ranma's eyes lit up "Ryoga" He called to the boy  
standing in the middle of the mess.  
  
"Hello Ranma," said the lost boy.  
  
"What are you doing here?" asked Ranma pleasantly.  
  
"Well, In China after we split up, I realized we never finished  
our fight."  
  
"You want to fight?" asked Ranma with an odd grin forming n his  
face.  
  
"Yeah, I'll always wonder who would have won," said Ryoga with an  
evil grin of his own.  
  
"Me too actually," lied Ranma cheerfully.  
  
"You just had a fight! Look at this mess!" cried Akane.  
  
"They thought they could push *me* out of the way," snorted the  
boy as he glanced around at the fallen students. "So who's your friend  
Ranma, a girlfriend?"  
  
Akane was about to issue a loud denial when Ranma smiled and said  
"Like I could be so lucky to have one this cute."  
  
The girl blushed and kept quiet.  
  
Ryoga grinned and caught on to what Ranma was trying to do. "Ah,  
give it time." he said playfully.  
  
Akane glared at him, but Ranma just smiled and continued his  
conversation.  
"So, when you want to do this?" he asked seriously after a moment.  
  
"After School today? Behind the school?" offered Ryoga.  
"Wait for me so you don't wander off."  
  
Ryoga growled at his last comment, but let it pass. "It's a  
challenge then. Don't think I'll go any easier on you just cause I  
don't want to kill you anymore."  
  
"Wouldn't have it any other way," replied the pigtailed boy  
confidently.  
  
"Great, see you later. It was nice to meet you," said the lost boy  
as he bowed politely to Akane.  
  
"A friend of yours?" asked Akane. It was obvious she was somewhat  
confused by the exchange she had just witnessed.  
  
"Friendly rival," replied the boy, "but, I guess you could call  
him a friend."  
  
"Oh, okay," she said uncomfortably as they started moving towards  
the school. "He said I was cute?" she thought to herself with an odd  
feeling forming in her stomach.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
++++  
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
Part 6 one fine mess  
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
During lunch Ranma was pulled aside from his conversation with  
Ryoga by a rather frantic looking Akane Tendo.  
  
"But Ranma! Everyone's saying were dating!"  
  
"And?"  
  
"What are we going to do about it?" cried Akane.  
  
"Nothing," answered Ranma with a small shrug.  
  
"What??!!" she almost screamed.  
  
"Akane, first of all, there really isn't any thing we can do.  
Secondly, it will eventually die down; it's just a rumor. Besides, is  
it really all that bad?" as said this he looked directly in her eyes  
causing her brain to freeze up.  
  
"H-his eyes are so, so..." she thought but quickly snapped out of  
it. "But they are asking embarrassing questions like, 'how does he  
kiss?'" she said without looking at him. "I kinda wonder about  
that..." she thought to herself, and just caught herself before she  
said it out loud.  
  
"Who said that?" her mind retorted.  
  
He put his hand on her shoulder in a reassuring gesture. "Don't  
worry Akane it will pass."  
  
"All right," she conceded with a sigh as she turned to walk away.  
  
"Ranma Saotome you fiend!" yelled Kuno as he swung his bokken at  
Ranma as he appeared suddenly from the bushes. "Release Akane Tendo  
from this obligation at once!"  
  
"Kuno even if I was dating Akane; what makes you think I'd stop  
just because *you* don't like it?" s  
  
"Because I am your superior knave," said the boy proudly as he  
paused his assault.  
  
"Heh, you think so?" said Ranma.  
  
"I know so," said Kuno puffing up his chest  
  
"All right Kuno. We'll fight but we'll do this right. After school  
tomorrow, behind the school." The pigtailed boy crossed his arms and  
grinned smugly.  
  
"And if you lose Akane Tendo will be mine," said Kuno loudly  
  
"Kuno, if I had Akane, I wouldn't be dumb enough to bet her on  
something as stupid as this."  
  
Akane gasped and glared at both of them.  
  
"If you lose you don't bother me again," said Ranma coolly.  
  
"Agreed," snorted Kuno. The two glared at each other for a few  
seconds and parted.  
  
Akane turned away "men" she muttered.  
  
"Akane wait!" said the confused looking Ranma. He thought he'd  
worded that rather well.  
  
"You're no different than the others," she said coldly as she  
walked away.  
  
Ranma stared at her helplessly. "What? Why am I so upset I don't  
lov...? Oh, no." Ranma's thoughts were interrupted by another voice  
that was his own but not quite the same.  
  
"Thought you'd just be friends and wait for Ukyo or Shampoo to  
show up did you? Heh, heh," it said evilly.  
  
"Shut up," he told it mentally.  
  
"Oooh! Touchy! Hit a nerve did I?" it seemed gleeful.  
  
"Shit," he muttered. "I just had to go and fall in love with  
Akane."  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
During class Ranma composed his thoughts. "Akane, why? I'm not  
Ranma really, well, mostly not. Damn, I haven't even known her that  
long. Hell, I hardly know her at all! This sucks. Love huh? Oh well,  
it's to late now might as well go for it."  
  
Akane however was thinking a little differently. "That jerk he's  
just like every other guy here. ... Isn't he?"  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Soun and Genma sat across the table from each other and  
contemplated their dilemma "Saotome we must find a way to get our  
children together," said Soun solemnly.  
  
"Quite so Tendo," agreed Genma, "but who will we engage Ranma  
too?"  
  
Soun thought for a moment. "Akane is about the right age." He  
didn't want to bring Nabiki into this. He remembered that the last  
time he tried to make her do something he was broke for some time, and  
Kasumi was almost twenty.  
  
"Then it's settled," said Genma. "Ranma and Akane are engaged."  
  
The two men laughed and drank themselves silly.  
  
+++++++++++++++++++  
  
Nabiki smiled as she listened in to the pair's conversation from  
a tiny set of headphones. "This could be fun." She removed the  
headphones from her ears and looked towards the front of the  
classroom. "The longer I can keep this going the better." she mused.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
++++  
+++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Part 7: The big match.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma looked across the field at Ryoga and both combatants smiled  
confidently.  
  
The crowd around them was small; after all it was just some new  
kid not Kuno.  
  
"Prepare yourself!" yelled Ryoga as he charged Ranma with his  
bamboo umbrella drawn.  
  
Ranma smirked. "Here we go..." he thought.  
  
The few students in attendance would remember this day for a long  
time to come.  
  
Ranma easily dodged around Ryoga's attacks and looked for an  
opening, he could easily defeat the lost boy, but he didn't want to  
humiliate him, he needed him.  
  
Ryoga swung faster and harder frustrated with his first few  
efforts. "Hold still damn you!" he yelled as he wrapped one of his  
bandannas around Ranma's wrist.  
  
Ranma frowned. "Even with the `Breaking Point' training I might  
not be able to take many of his punches," he thought to himself.  
  
"Got you!" yelled Ryoga as he put his arm through Ranma's head.  
"Through?!!"  
  
Ryoga was forced to his knees. Ranma had moved with lightening  
speed, he rolled between the boy's legs and pulled his arm between  
them in a hold.  
  
The lost boy grunted, "Pretty good...but not good enough!!" he  
yelled as he jumped twenty feet into the air using his one free arm.  
The crowd gasped, as Ranma dodged the lost boy's mid-air kick and hit  
him with one of his own knocking the lost boy to the ground. Ryoga got  
up and slashed at the pigtailed martial artist as he landed, ripping  
the boy's shirt.  
  
Ranma ignored him and pressed his attack. Ryoga blocked and swung  
with his umbrella but was forced back. Hibiki jumped back and threw  
the open umbrella at his opponent like a boomerang. It went by the  
pigtailed boy's head and carved a deep gouge into the ground and the  
crowd behind him.  
  
"Without your weapon you're mine Ryoga," said Ranma smugly.  
  
"Think so?" laughed Ryoga as he took a fair amount of bandannas  
from his head and flung them at Ranma. The two dodged between the  
projectiles trading blows and avoiding the razor sharp strips of cloth  
as they spun and twisted through the air.  
  
Akane watched mesmerized as Ranma and Ryoga danced among the  
dangerous spinning bandannas. "Wow he's..." she said aloud and her  
friends smiled at her behind her back.  
  
"Wow, she's got it bad," said one of the girls.  
  
"It's about time," agreed the other.  
  
Akane couldn't even hear them.  
  
Suddenly, Ranma saw several bandannas spinning towards him and  
realized that he couldn't dodge them because of the crowd behind him.  
"Damn, Mouko Takabishi!" he cried as he used a small Ki blast to knock  
them out of the air.  
  
The crowd fell deathly silent, Ryoga stopped dead in his tracks  
and stared at Ranma wide, eyed the bandannas he was spinning in his  
hands spun out of control and went in every direction.  
  
"Huh?" the lost boy said dumbly. "Ranma what the hell was that?"  
  
"Just a little Ki blast," replied Ranma in confusion. "They  
haven't seen one before now?" he asked himself out loud.  
  
"Little!!???" cried the shocked Ryoga.  
  
"Yeah. Litt... Akane!!!" yelled Ranma as he saw one of the  
bandannas spinning toward her head from behind.  
  
Ranma called out her name and ran towards her. "Huh? What the  
hell" said  
The girl dumbly as Ranma tackled her to the ground. "What did you do  
that for you jerk?!!" she yelled as she hit him on the head as he  
grabbed her.  
  
Ranma looked up apologetically "Too late..."  
  
She saw something hit the ground behind him.  
  
"That wasn't..." she thought as Ranma picked her up in his arms  
and jumped high into the air, carrying her off before the students  
collected their wits and decided to find out what happened.  
  
Ranma landed in a quiet area near the school and put Akane down.  
"What do you think your doing??!!" she yelled at him angrily. He had  
several red marks on his face from her slaps during the trip.  
  
Ranma looked at her head carefully and sighed looking relieved.  
"No cuts  
That's good," he thought. Akane was pissed. She swung and beat on him  
and he didn't seem to notice much. "Are you OK? Your not hurt are  
you?" he asked her.  
  
"What why?!! Take me back now you jerk!!" she yelled and then  
stopped. "Hurt? why?"  
  
He looked away and handed something to her. "Sorry Akane I figured  
you wouldn't want anyone to see."  
  
"What? what are you talking... Oh no," she said aloud, as she felt  
what was in her hands. "My hair," she whispered as she felt the back  
of her neck and found only skin.  
  
Ranma jumped on to the roof and waited patiently. "You OK?" he  
asked after a while. He seemed to be looking for someone.  
  
Akane calmly looked up at him. "What are you doing?" she asked  
timidly.  
  
"Looking for Ryoga, he probly' feels bad and he'll come looking  
for us."  
  
A few moments later, Ryoga came from behind Akane.  
  
"There you are!! Are you okay miss?!!" asked Ryoga with a worried  
looking frown.  
  
Akane looked at him oddly. Ranma smiled and landed next to him he  
had intentionally went in the opposite direction than the one he  
originally started to go after he was out of sight of the school, so  
Ryoga could find them.  
  
"She isn't cut but her hair..."  
  
Ryoga seemed to just notice this and began to apologize... a lot.  
  
"I'm sorry! I really am! Please forgive me!!" he cried  
desperately. He was almost sobbing.  
  
"I think short hair will look really good on her," offered Ranma.  
Akane didn't know what to make of the situation she should be mad; but  
Ranma was nice enough to save her a great deal of embarrassment by  
getting her away from the school, and this poor Ryoga fellow seemed to  
be sorry... too sorry. So another beating was averted.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
++++  
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Part8: Kuno's big fight  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
++++  
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma looked at Akane again as she entered her house "You sure you  
don't want me to help explain things?"  
  
"No, its okay," she said as she went inside and greeted her  
sister.  
  
"Oh, hello Akane. You're home! Who was that nice young man, a  
boyfriend?" asked Kasumi as she noticed her sister enter.  
  
"NO! I mean... He's just a friend..." said Akane defensively.  
"Isn't he?" she thought too herself after the words had passed her  
lips.  
  
"Well, you should invite him in I'd love to meet your boyfriend.  
Father will be so pleased," said Kasumi as she happily ignored her  
younger sister. That was when she seemed to notice something was  
different. "YOUR HAIR!!"  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma walked towards the Saotome home and whistled to himself.  
Kuno stood before him looking angry. "What have you done with Akane  
Tendo cur?" he asked through his grinding his teeth.  
  
"Hiya Kuno. Our fight is tomorrow," reminded the pigtailed boy as  
he ignored the question.  
  
"Tell me or..." started the angry kendoist.  
  
"Or you'll what?" asked Ranma coolly.  
  
Kuno pulled out his sword and glared at the boy in front of him.  
  
Ranma's eyes narrowed and he looked at the older boy with a hard  
frown. Kuno had a sword, not his bokken. He surveyed the situation  
carefully. "She had an accident and I took her home," he said  
cautiously.  
  
"You have hurt my love??!!" roared Kuno.  
  
Ranma knew he was now beyond words. The swordsman swung at Ranma.  
The pigtailed boy ducked to avoid the blade and removed his bag and  
took up a defensive stance. He looked cautiously at the sword and saw  
a glowing spot on it. "No. He's far to fast with that for me to risk  
the Bakusai Tenketsu."  
  
Kuno bellowed and thrust at Ranma. "STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!...!"  
He yelled as his blade became a flurry of motion.  
  
The pigtailed boy dodged and took a few hits in the arms and  
chest. Nothing major but enough to figure out that Kuno's sword was  
lighter than a bokken and he could move it faster.  
  
"Die cur!" cried the older boy.  
  
Ranma faced Kuno and ducked under the blade. "KATSU TENSHIN  
AMAGURIKEN!" he yelled as he hit his opponent hundreds of times,  
easily breaking several ribs.  
  
Kuno collapsed in a heap.  
  
Ranma swore "I've changed things I can't be sure what's going to  
happen any more."  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++  
  
After the incident with Kuno he became obsessed with improving his  
skills. He practiced every morning; pushing the Chestnut fist just a  
little faster, just a little stronger with his Ki a little more  
control over the Breaking Point. He even stopped practiciing with his  
father. Genma was surprisingly easy to convince.  
  
"He gets up an extra hour early and I'm getting to old to get up  
as early as that. Besides I can practice with Soun." He said proudly a  
few days after it had started. Of course, he never mentioned that  
Ranma was now winning every practice match. "Speaking of which boy,  
I'd really like you to meet..."  
  
"Can't, I'm busy" said Ranma simply.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++  
  
One day Akane didn't come to school. Ranma was slightly surprised  
by this. "Where's Akane?" he asked one of her friends.  
  
"Don't know," she replied with a shrug. As soon as he turned away  
she rushed off giggling into a group of girls. The boy rolled his eyes  
and smiled at this, but didn't pay much attention too it afterwards.  
  
++++++++++++++++++  
  
At the end of the day he went over to her home with papers from  
school. He knocked on the door.  
  
"Hello can I help you?" asked Kasumi as she answered the door.  
  
"I brought Akane's homework. Is she okay?"  
  
"Oh! Yes! She's fine. She just wasn't feeling well."  
  
At this point, Akane came down the stairs. "Who is it Kasumi?"  
  
"It's just your little boyfriend with your homework," said the  
older girl cheerfully.  
  
Ranma laughed a little as Akane turned red and denied it loudly.  
  
"Here you go Akane. You okay?" he asked as he handed her a small  
stack of papers.  
  
"Yeah. I just couldn't bear hearing every one tell me how  
chivalrous you were the other day. I mean that was a month ago; it  
wasn't *that* romantic... sorry about Kuno," she replied quietly.  
  
"Not your fault. Your hair looks really good that way though,"  
said Ranma as he smiled at her.  
  
"Quit telling me that," she said. Not that she meant it, it was  
just the principal of the matter. Besides, any other guy would stare  
at her chest and say that, and get knocked into the stratosphere.  
  
Ranma smiled at her blush before he spoke up again. "Well, Ryoga  
came back into town and he and I are gonna get together. I'm going  
right after I leave here. Want to come?"  
  
"Sure. Where we going?" she asked.  
  
"Ryoga's coming," replied Ranma.  
  
"Oh," said the girl as she blushed a little more and smiled  
weakly. They walked out the door and into the street together.  
  
"You should do that more often," said Ranma as they moved toward  
where Ryoga was camped.  
  
"What?" she asked.  
  
"Smile, you're cute when you smile," he said.  
  
Akane stopped and laughed a little. "I'm too cute as it is," she  
replied a little bitterly.  
  
"Believe it or not, I know what you mean," said Ranma Quietly.  
  
Akane smiled, he didn't think she'd heard him.  
  
"Let's go before the hopeless dope tries to come find us," said  
the boy as he composed himself quickly.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
TBC...  
  
More chapters to come as I get them cleaned up. ^_^ 


End file.
